Think the debate hurt Trump? Nope: His numbers hold steady in new poll

The old adage, "No publicity is bad publicity," seems to be holding for Republican candidate Donald Trump.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll of Republican voters shows he is still the choice of 24 percent of GOP voters -- unchanged since his now-infamous clash last Thursday night with Fox News host Megyn Kelly during the Republican debate in Cleveland.

The conventional wisdom in some corners was that his remarks about blood coming from Kelly's eyes and "her wherever" would do him in. Some saw the comment on CNN as intimating Kelly was menstrual.

"Who would say that?" Trump said Sunday. "Do you think I'd make a statement like that? Who would make a statement like that? Only a sick person would even think about that."

He was set to go on two different Fox News shows today to discuss the brouhaha; he also has patched things up with Fox News boss Roger Ailes.

Trump tweeted Monday: "Roger Ailes just called. He is a great guy & assures me that 'Trump' will be treated fairly on @FoxNews. His word is always good!"

BUSH TUMBLES

The candidate who seems to have suffered the most in the before and after Reuters poll is former Gov. Jeb Bush, who is now favored by 12 percent of GOPers, down from 17 percent before the debate.

Fiorina

Reuters

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Voters "want someone who's an outsider, who can upset the applecart," said Craig Robinson, a top Iowa Republican party official.

"They're willing to deal with a less-than-perfect candidate if they believe it will actually change things in Washington."

No other candidate earned more than 8 percent in the online poll, conducted between the end of the debate and Sunday, but former Hewlett Packard executive Carly Fiorina did see a 5 percent jump to 6 percent.

The debate also did little to change Republican voters' opinions of Trump.

Reuters reports: One-third said they liked him more after the debate, one-third said they liked him less, and the remaining third said their opinions had not changed.

The candidate with the best news out of the poll is Democrat Hillary Clinton.

She bests Trump in a head-to-head matchup 43 to 29% and shows the same strength against Bush, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.